Description
Delight in these moist and flavorful Cinnamon Apple Muffins, perfect for a cozy breakfast or snack. Packed with tender diced apples and warm cinnamon spice, these muffins are topped with a cinnamon sugar glaze that adds a sweet, crunchy finish. Easy to prepare and utterly delicious, this recipe yields a dozen satisfying muffins that everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour (for coating apples)
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (for coating apples)
Fruit
- 2 cups diced apples
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
Topping
- ½ cup butter (melted)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 375º F. Grease your muffin tins thoroughly using baker’s spray, shortening, or butter; then lightly flour the tins and shake out any excess flour to ensure easy muffin removal.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the 2 cups flour, baking powder, salt, and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon to create a light, evenly mixed flour base.
- Coat Apples: Mix the 2 teaspoons flour with ½ teaspoon cinnamon in a separate bowl. Toss the diced apples in this mixture to coat them evenly. This will help prevent the apples from sinking to the bottom of the muffins during baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature with 1 cup granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. This helps incorporate air for a tender crumb.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time, blending fully after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract until combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gently fold the sifted flour mixture into the batter, alternating with the ½ cup milk. Stir just until the ingredients are combined to avoid overmixing which can make the muffins tough.
- Fold in Apples and Fill Tins: Fold the coated diced apples into the batter carefully, then scoop the mixture into the prepared muffin tins until they are about two-thirds to three-quarters full.
- Bake Muffins: Place the tins in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Prepare Cinnamon Sugar Topping: While baking, melt ½ cup butter and let it cool slightly. In a separate bowl, combine ¼ cup granulated sugar with ¼ cup ground cinnamon. Set both aside for topping application.
- Apply Topping and Cool: Once the muffins are baked, let them cool slightly in the muffin tins before removing. Using a pastry brush or by dipping, coat the tops of the muffins with the melted butter, then immediately dip or sprinkle them with the cinnamon sugar mixture to create a sweet crust. Transfer to a plate to cool completely.
Notes
- Cinnamon Apple Muffins make an excellent breakfast or snack, enjoyable fresh or reheated.
- Coating the apples with flour and cinnamon prevents them from sinking during baking, ensuring an even distribution.
- For best texture, be careful not to overmix the batter once the flour is added.
- Use tart apples like Granny Smith for a nice balance of sweetness and tang.
- These muffins freeze well; store in airtight containers for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 335 kcal
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 184 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 73 mg
